Mobile machine for adjusting safety margin and moving method thereof

Abstract

A mobile machine for adjusting a safety margin and a moving method thereof are provided. The moving method includes generating a point cloud representing surrounding objects by sensing the surrounding objects of the mobile machine, determining tunnel candidates between the surrounding objects by using the point cloud, selecting a target tunnel from the tunnel candidates based on a planned path, setting a safety margin based on a width of the target tunnel, and moving along the planned path while performing collision avoidance based on the safety margin.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of moving a mobile machine, the method comprising:
 generating a point cloud corresponding to a plurality of objects in an area surrounding the mobile machine;   determining tunnel candidates based on the point cloud corresponding to the plurality of objects;   selecting a target tunnel from the tunnel candidates based on a planned path;   setting a safety margin based on a width of the target tunnel; and   moving along the planned path based on the safety margin.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the tunnel candidates comprises:
 measuring distances between a plurality of points of the point cloud corresponding to the plurality of objects;   identifying consecutive points having a distance exceeding a threshold among the plurality of points; and   determining a space between the consecutive points to be the tunnel candidates.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selecting the target tunnel comprises selecting a tunnel intersecting with the planned path as the target tunnel from among the tunnel candidates. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selecting the target tunnel comprises:
 determining tunnel lines crossing a passing area of the tunnel candidates;   determining sub-path lines between path points on the planned path; and   selecting the target tunnel based on a spatial relationship between the tunnel lines and the sub-path lines.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the tunnel candidates comprise a first tunnel candidate having a first tunnel line among the tunnel lines, and
 wherein the selecting the target tunnel based on the spatial relationship comprises, based on the first tunnel line forming an intersection point with a first sub-path line among the sub-path lines, and the intersection point is within an area formed by the first tunnel line and the first sub-path line, selecting the first tunnel candidate as the target tunnel.   
     
     
         6 . The moving method of  claim 1 , wherein the setting the safety margin comprises setting a width of the safety margin based on a difference between a width of the mobile machine and the width of the target tunnel. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprises controlling a moving speed based on the safety margin. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the controlling the moving speed comprises increasing the moving speed as the safety margin is wider and decreasing the moving speed as the safety margin is narrower. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the safety margin is determined based on a safety area set around the mobile machine and a cost map set around the plurality of objects. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first point group is at a first end of the target tunnel and a second point group is at a second end of the target tunnel, and wherein the determining the tunnel candidates comprises determining the tunnel candidates based on a first distance between a first point, among first points of the first point group, and a second point, among second points of the second point group, that are the closest to each other, a second distance between a first center of the first point group and a second center of the second point group, or a combination of the first distance and the second distance. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprises determining the width of the target tunnel. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the determining the width of the target tunnel comprises:
 determining the width of the target tunnel to be a first value based on the width of the target tunnel being sensed as the first value in a first pose of the mobile machine; and   determining the width of the target tunnel to be the first value or a second value based on a difference between the first value and the second value based on the width of the target tunnel being sensed as the second value in a second pose of the mobile machine according to a pose change of the mobile machine.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the tunnel candidates comprises:
 setting a first area around the planned path as a search area; and   determining the tunnel candidates from points in the search area in the point cloud.   
     
     
         14 . A controlling method of a mobile machine, the controlling method comprising:
 receiving a point cloud corresponding to a plurality of objects in an area surrounding the mobile machine;   determining tunnel candidates based on the point cloud corresponding to the plurality of objects;   selecting a target tunnel from the tunnel candidates based on a planned path; and   determining a safety margin for collision avoidance based on a difference between a width of the mobile machine and a width of the target tunnel.   
     
     
         15 . The controlling method of  claim 14 , wherein the determining the tunnel candidates comprises:
 measuring distances between a plurality of points of the point cloud corresponding to the plurality of objects;   identifying consecutive points having a distance exceeding a threshold among the plurality of points; and   determining a space between the consecutive points to be the tunnel candidates.   
     
     
         16 . The controlling method of  claim 14 , wherein the selecting the target tunnel comprises selecting a tunnel intersecting with the planned path as the target tunnel from among the tunnel candidates. 
     
     
         17 . The controlling method of  claim 14 , wherein the selecting the target tunnel comprises:
 determining tunnel lines crossing a passing area of the tunnel candidates;   determining sub-path lines between path points on the planned path; and   selecting the target tunnel based on a spatial relationship between the tunnel lines and the sub-path lines.   
     
     
         18 . The controlling method of  claim 14 , wherein the setting the safety margin comprises setting a width of the safety margin based on a difference between a width of the mobile machine and the width of the target tunnel. 
     
     
         19 . The controlling method of  claim 14 , wherein the safety margin is set based on a safety area set around the mobile machine and a cost map set around the plurality of objects. 
     
     
         20 . A mobile machine comprising:
 one or more sensors configured to sense a plurality of objects in an area surrounding the mobile machine;   one or more processors configured to:
 determine tunnel candidates based on a point cloud corresponding to the plurality of objects, 
 select a target tunnel from the tunnel candidates based on a planned path, and 
 set a safety margin based on a width of the target tunnel; and 
   a driving system configured to move the mobile machine along the planned path based on the safety margin.